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Friday, 25 April 2014

Ever heard of Charles James? Wonderful 1950s dresses at the Met, New York.

Dear Reader

Charles James was one of the most influential dress designers of the 1940s and 1950s. Yet, surprisingly, he is little known in the UK.

Charles James gowns. Photograph by Cecil Beaton

Even though he was British, he is often called 'the first American couturier' as he spent most of his career in the USA.

Charles James 1952, Photograph by Michael A Vaccaro

James was hugely admired by other prominent designers of the 40s and 50s. Christian Dior described James' work as "poetry" and credited him with being the true originator of the 'New Look' of 1947, as it was inspired by a conversation with James.

Charles James suit, Photograph by Erwin Blumenfeld, Vogue July 1951

James created fabulous and innovative designs for many famous figures. From royalty to burlesque performers, his client list is quite a fascinating read in itself. Iconic actress Marlene Dietrich, jewellery designer Elsa Peretti, burlesque performer Gypsy Rose Lee, famous socialite Babe Paley, and designers Elsa Schiaparelli and Coco Chanel all wore his fabulous dresses.

He was a lifelong friend of fashion photographer Cecil Beaton, whose famous photo (at the top of this post) of society beauties in James' gowns sums up for me all the glamour of the 40s and 50s.

Early James designs. Photograph by Cecil Beaton, Vogue 1936

James photographed by Cecil Beaton, 1936

Charles James with model, Photograph by Cecil Beaton

James was notoriously difficult to work with and hugely egotistical, and called himself an artist and "the greatest couturier of the western world"! He sniffed at Beaton as a mere social-climbing artisan. Beaton retaliated by saying James was a "little monster". But the two remained firm friends and often worked together to produce some of fashions most iconic images!

Charles James 'Butterfly' Gown, Photograph by Cecil Beaton

James Gown, Photograph by Cecil Beaton, Vogue 1946

Charles James 'Swan' Gown, 1955, Photograph by Cecil Beaton

...And the same 'Swan' gown photographed by Horst P Horst, Vogue 1951

There is a wonderful exhibition of Charles James' work opening in May at the Met Museum in New York. How I would love to see those dresses close up! So let's end with a few more of his fabulous creations...

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Welcome Dear Reader...

Thanks for visiting my vintage wedding blog today! I'd like to show you some of the fabulous original vintage wedding dresses I have for sale, as well as the Heavenly Collection - my own range of vintage-inspired wedding dresses.

And I'll answer some of the questions I'm often asked by my Heavenly brides, in a series of posts about how to choose, how to accessorize, and how to care for your special dress.

I hope you'll enjoy reading it, as much as I enjoy sharing it with you.

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About Heavenly Vintage Brides

Heavenly Vintage Brides is my unique collection of fabulous, vintage wedding dresses, sourced from all over the world.

Each gown is carefully selected, restored and adapted - making it perfect for the modern bride, whilst retaining its own unique charm.

In my West London studio, I hold around 70 beautiful styles which can be viewed in person or online.

And to offer a full choice of sizes and styles, I've created the new Heavenly Collection: a range of nine vintage-inspired designs - based on the prettiest, most elegant and most timeless vintage dresses.

Here, you can work with me to help personalise your own dress - choosing from a range of options for fabrics, colours, sleeve and skirt lengths.

I'm proud to have dressed beautiful brides from all around the world. To find out more, please contact me through my website.